A Leon County circuit court judge ruled Friday that state taxpayers will have to cover hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees for the defense of former House Speaker Ray Sansom, who was cleared four years ago of charges that had already driven him from office.

A trial began Thursday to determine whether former House Speaker Ray Sansom deserves to be reimbursed for almost $1 million in legal fees from a failed corruption case, with attorneys for the former lawmaker and the state arguing over whether he was involved in a deal that ultimately ended the case.

The adviser for the family of Jameis Winston has asked Florida State why it has chosen now to engage in the Title IX process and accuses the school of trying to protect its own interests and responding to media pressure, according to a letter obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press.